Friday, December 28, 2012

December 28, 2012

Five years ago I began to blog.  It began as something to do in the dead of a Minnesota winter and a way of leaving just a small part of me behind for my Grandchildren.  In the beginning I expressed many of my personal opinions and beliefs.  I think I still do to a certain extent..I am passionate about Minnesota..both the good parts (Spring and Summer) and the bad parts ( freezing weather and ticks.)  I enjoy Wildflowers and “old stuff.”  Five years ago I had one blog.  It appeared locally in the online newspaper in a section called Area Voices.

In September of 2008, I got nervous about the Area Voices blog suddenly disappearing so I began a blogspot blog. My Area Voices Blog is still there, it appears in online newspapers throughout Minnesota and North Dakota.

Today, I write a weekly blog for the Hubbard County Historical Museum.  Yes, I get paid to blog!  When I first started blogging I thought wow wouldn’t it be great to get paid to do this?

Many people write blogs that have banners and advertising..and I suppose they get paid..I always find those blogs with ads to be distracting.

I write Far Side of Fifty on blogspot and Area Voices, both are the same blog post just different formats.  Area Voices is Wordpress.

I have a photo blog called Far Side of Fifty Photos. It seems to get lost in the dust some weeks..but I still like to take photographs.

I write Forgotten Old Photos which began one day from a box of old photos that I purchased in an antique shop. So far I have presented 1090 old photographs and returned 128 photos to their families.  It was chosen Blog of Note in November of 2010.

I also write a family blog about my husbands Grandmother called Tracie’s Treasures which is available only to family members. Yes, you can write a blog and restrict the readers. After the first of the year I will get back to that one!   I had to have some time off during the summer and fall..it is a blog worthy of my full attention.

You can also write a private blog..I don’t have one  of those.

I use Live Writer to write.  It is a simple tool to use..non complicated and reliable.  I write at night..instead of watching TV..sometimes whilst watching TV.

My daughter Jen gave me a Christmas gift.

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She used blurb to create one year of Far Side in a book.  I cried.  She strives every year to make me bawl at least once during the opening of Christmas Gifts.

I guess I will keep keeping on, putting one foot in front of the other..one blog after another.  Some people email me comments, some people leave comments, some people are silent. It is all good. 

I enjoy blogging, and I really enjoy reading a variety of blogs throughout the world.  You all know who you are..I leave you comments occasionally..thanks! :)

32 comments:

Charlotta said...

Congratulations on the staggering number of words you have "blogged" in five years!

thecrazysheeplady said...

You are one of my favorite bloggers! :-)

Primitive Stars said...

Ditto, I enjoy your Minnasota blog, one of my favs.....keep on keeping on!!!!! Blessings Francine.

DJan said...

I was just thinking this morning of my blogging friends who manage to write every day. You not only do that for this one, but write even more for other blogs of yours! Congratulations on five years of this one, Connie. I do so enjoy being one of your friends. I feel like I know you... :-)

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! I do enjoy FarSideOfFifty a lot. It's interesting how your blogging changes. I'm splitting mine into two on Monday. It's all growth. Hope you continue to write for a long time.
Donna

Moms Musings said...

Congratulations on 5 years of daily blogging. What a wonderful gift from your daughter.

Bobbie said...

What an awesome gift!! You are the second blogger who received a book from their blog this year.. I'm glad you shared this... I will be checking out how to get this done. What an awesome gift!! (did I say that already?)

linda m said...

Congratulations on 5 years of blogging. I really enjoy reading your blog every morning - even though I don't comment every day. Your daughter gave you a very special gift. Hope you continue to blog for a long time as I enjoy reading about your life (as well as Chance's escapades) in Minnesota. Merry Christmas a little late; I was visiting family.

Gail said...

What a most thoughtful gift. Maybe the next years will come to print too.

I do enjoy your blog but I only visit here, somehow I've missed the others.

May the new year hold all you can imagine that is good.

Dreaming said...

Yet again, you amaze me! I had no clue that I was reading, and am read by, a 'professional' blogger! Wowee!
The book is so very cool. I love it when someone, on occasion, finds the perfect gift for someone else. How very cool. Keep on writing... we all enjoy reading!

Shirley H. said...

Hi:
I read your blog every day and thank you for this great reading. I also read your museum blog. I learned about your daily blog from your husband's posting in a TN forum.

Anonymous said...

Connie, I have been a faithful reader of your blog for quite some time although I hardly ever comment. Yours is the first blog I read every day. I really enjoy it. I think I am drawn to it due to the fact that you know so much about the history of your family. All their names and where they are all from. I wish I did, but my family has never been close, the ones that are still around, that is. I also love that you remember so much about your childhood. Something else I don't rember much about. We are about the same age, I live in the south. I enjoy everything about your blog. Thanks for writing everyday! Pam

Country Gal said...

I try to read you blog every day and I love it ! I have been blogging for almost three years now , I started it as a hobby during our winters and I love it . I enjoy all the wonderful people that comment and enjoy reading and commenting on other blogs as well . Bloggers are awesome ! I also have a photography blog and we have a Photography website but Papa runs the website as it is a lot to it and I am not that computer savvy lol . I to use Live writer for my blogs it can have a mind of it's own some times but I prefer it to blogging through blogger itself . Happy 5 years of blogging . Have a good day !

RURAL said...

Congrats Connie...5 years is like decades of friendship. And that's what you have been sharing with us, your life, and a glimpse into your world.

The offer to come and be my neighbour still stands, and always will. And hey, we get less snow here, and it's not so cold, so maybe you guys could consider it.

Jen

MTWaggin said...

Okay I gotta go find the photo blog cuz I totally missed that! You are amazing to do so many blogs at once but I like it! Keep up the great work.

Muffie said...

I love reading your blog, and learning about life in the great midwest! I didn't realize you wrote so many others! I'd love to be disciplined enough to write for a living; alas, I'm not! Keep up the great work!
Peace,
Muff

GramMary said...

I stand in awe of your creative ability - again! Congratulations on 5 years of dedication to your cause.

Karen said...

It always impresses me so much that you blog every day, and I love your sense of humour! The book is a wonderful idea. With my own blog I occasionally go back and read some of the early entries, to have it in book form would be great.
I got some enlarged framed photos for Christmas, for some reason those make me teary too:)

Nancy said...

I read your museum blog as well as this one, your photos, and the forgotten old photos, and I love all of them. Keep up the good work.

Jen's gift is perfect.

I started my blog (Wyoming Breezes) in 2007 to keep my mind occupied and to preserve some memories and photos. I have enjoyed it immensely. I also have a private blog where I journal my random thoughts.

carolina nana said...

I have started turning my blog post into books using Blurb also. I make a book about every 6 months. I got a scare earlier on with blogger loosing some of my post. Blogs are a lot of work and I'm sure you will agree we don't want them lost in space somewhere. Blogs to Books is fun and hopefully another way to preserve part of our lives for generations to come. Glad you had a wonderful Christmas and I hope next year is a great one for you and Far Guy.
Blessings

Red said...

You may enjoy blogging but we very much enjoy reading you.
Amazing that you are active in such a wide blog activity. I was aware that you had another blog but didn't know about the other blogs.
Keep at it. Memories and info are valuable.

Jacqi Stevens said...

Yes, I know who "you are" and I'm grateful for the encouragement :)

Glad you are keeping on blogging!

To Jen: what an admirable goal! I'd say keep it up, but I don't know how you would manage to top that one! It sounds like such a lovely idea, and so meaningful!

LynneFtWorth said...

I really enjoy your blog. I enjoy hearing of life old and new and really enjoy the wistful Wednesday pictures. I also like seeing the pictures of snow.

Your reader from the Great state of Texas!

Deanna M.

lisa said...

That is sweet and wonderful. I just happen to love your blog, myself!

nancy huggins said...

What a great idea..wish I had info to post about but the blogging for a town is a great idea too and something to think about. I will wait until we move to explor it more and maybe get some info from you about how to do that :)
Hugs
Nancy

Anonymous said...

Congrats! You know how much I cherish your friendship and I try to never miss a post! Love you guys - happy new year.

Terry and Linda said...

I.for one, am very glad you blog, and I'm very glad I found your blog or you found me, I forget now.

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

Rita said...

Congrats on the five years AND on all your other blogs as well! Wow! And my hats off to anyone who gets paid to blog. ;) But I can see why. I love listening to your interesting mind. Have a great weekend! :)

L. D. said...

Five years is quite an accomplishment. You are so good at doing it all. I do think you drink more coffee than me as I barely maintain my two right now. The third one I do once a month and the art one that I write requires me to be creating artwork, which I am not doing at this stage of my life. Anyway, congratulations on the five year milestone. If you are like me, I never dreamed I could even be a writer but the words just keep flowing. As with you, keep the fingers moving and the words flowing into a great new year.

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

Congratulations on five years of blogging, and on all your additional blogs. I very much enjoy checking in with you every day to see what's on your mind. And I have learned a lot not just about you but about the area where you live. Thanks for that!

Linda said...

I discovered a site called blog2print.com It takes your blog pages and creates a book out of them, as in, "voila, it's done". You have the opportunity to change the format a little and to delete certain posts if you want to, to include comments if you want to, plus some other nice functions. It could be kind of pricey, depending on how many pages long it actually is, but it's so easy. I've done it about three times and the quality of the book is wonderful. I found it to be a great way to preserve my "journaling" without all the fuss of actually scrapbooking.

I enjoy reading your posts and congratulations on your 5-year-perseverence!

Pamela said...

congratulations. I started six and half years ago -- but the last year has been nearly nothing. I have one book I "blurb"ed for myself. Working on a 2nd. Just to have it in written form. Something about holding it in your hands =-== and putting it on your coffee table for folks to see.